Skip to content

Setup

Instrument

E A D G B E
Capo

Diagrams

Chords shown as
Chord numbers
Shape difficulty
Fret numbers counted
Playing hand

Playback

Chords sound as

Accessibility

Larger type and controls, stronger contrast, reduced motion, and thumb-reachable show controls on this device.

Account & sync

Account & sync →
Key

Chords in B Dorian

B Dorian is built from the notes B, C#, D, E, F#, G# and A. Its scale carries 3 sharps. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on Bm as the i. The chord on the fifth degree is F#m rather than a major V, so B Dorian has no leading tone and resolves by step and colour instead of by dominant pull — the sound that separates it from a plain B major.

Beyond those seven, B Dorian commonly borrows B (I), D#m (iii), E (IV), F# (V) and G#m (vi) from the parallel major — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.

The seven chords

Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Bm7, C#m7, Dmaj7, E7, F#m7, G#m7b5, Amaj7.

Borrowed chords

Capo

Capo 2 and play A Dorian shapes to sound B Dorian.

All eight capo positions for B Dorian

Related keys

Open B Dorian in the explorer →